Carving the Pumpkin
by Dragonfly-Moonlight
Summary: Luther faces one of his greatest challenges yet - carving a pumpkin for Halloween.


Luther pursed his lips, his eyebrows furrowing as he gazed at the orange gourd sitting on top of the table. The object, what Fayt called a pumpkin, stared back at him, or at least Luther thought it did. Its top lay to one side, and its guts, as Fayt called them, were being used for . . . something. Luther thought the younger man said something about baking the gourd's seed for eating. Why, Luther did not know, but he would take Fayt at his word about the treats. For the moment, the pumpkin commanded his attention and the fact Fayt wanted to carve a face – an actual _face_ – somewhere on the gourd, and Luther could not begin to understand his lover's reasoning for such an absurd notion.

Still, Luther was not about to deny Fayt something so . . . trivial in nature. His lover wanted to celebrate Halloween, a holiday Luther knew to be fun for people of all ages. Manufacturers created costumes for children and adults alike, and those with children walked the youngsters around neighbourhoods on the thirty-first of October for treats and maybe the occasional trick. Residents also decorated their homes in order to celebrate, something pleasing for their neighbours to see, and the home Luther shared with Fayt was waiting for one final masterpiece – the jack o' lantern . . . if Luther could figure out how to turn the damned gourd into one. It needed a face of some kind, preferably scary but not so frightening it scared five-year-olds. He pulled out a chair and sat down.

"You are being most difficult," he said. The pumpkin remained stubbornly silent. Lithe fingers brushed along the back of Luther's neck.

"Problems?" Fayt asked, his fingers combing their way through Luther's blond locks. The former Creator shrugged in a nonchalant fashion even though Fayt's touch sent tiny fires of passion coursing through his blood.

"I've dealt with worse," he replied. He turned to face his lover. "However, I _am_ open to suggestions."

"Make him smile," Fayt said. Luther raised an eyebrow.

"Make him smile," Luther murmured. Fayt nodded.

"Yeah. Make him smile. Think of him as a creation of some kind," Fayt replied. "He doesn't _have_ to be scary."

"He doesn't . . ."

"No," Fayt murmured. "He doesn't. He doesn't even really need a face. He just needs to be carved."

"Hrmmm . . . very well then."

"You have an idea?"

"Yes. You may resume whatever you were doing," Luther murmured, turning his attention back to the pumpkin.

"You don't want me to see what you have planned?"

"No," Luther replied. He then smiled. "It is a surprise. You will just have to wait."

Fayt chuckled and kissed Luther on the cheek. His fingers slowly untangled themselves from his hair as Fayt pulled away.

"All right then," Fayt said. "I'll be surprised. Just don't take too long, okay? And keep whatever you have in mind kid-friendly. I don't want my parents' house to get egged and toilet papered"

The blue-haired man left the room, and Luther gazed at the pumpkin for a few moments longer. Fayt saying the gourd really did not need a face to be carved had given the former Creator an idea, one of which he was sure would please both Fayt and any of the trick-or-treaters coming to the house. Luther picked up the laser knife, his smile widening.

"This," he told the orange gourd, "is going to be quite interesting, wouldn't you agree?"

The pumpkin still said nothing in response, which suited Luther just fine, and he brought his instrument of destruction closer to orange flesh . . .

* * *

Luther watched, smiling, as he removed his hands from Fayt's eyes and observed his lover's reaction to the pumpkin now sitting in the lounge's window. The younger man inhaled softly at the sight of the gourd and its dragon curling around another pumpkin design. A lit votive candle strategically placed within the gourd itself cast faint shadows, giving the design a spooky look. Luther was not entirely happy with how much space he had for what he had wanted to do, but its outcome, in his opinion, was still stunning nonetheless.

For a moment, Fayt did not say a word. He simply stared at the pumpkin with what Luther believed to a look of awe and wonder. Such emotions were what Luther wanted from his young lover. He wrapped his arms around Fayt's waist, his lips dangerously close to the younger man's ear.

"I believe you said to be creative," Luther murmured. "And to make him smile. Was this the wrong approach?"

Fayt shook his head.

"No," he replied. "I just wasn't expecting something like this."

"So you like it then?"

Fayt turned so that their noses touched and their lips were mere inches away from a kiss. The beginnings of a smile were tugging on the corners of Fayt's lips.

"I like it . . . I like it very much," Fayt replied. His slender arms slipped around Luther's neck. "You did a fantastic job. Thank you."

Luther smiled at Fayt's words, and he pressed closer to the younger man. It never ceased to amaze him how the littlest of things could make Fayt happy, and, not for the first time, Luther felt happy as well for leaving his old life behind. Being with Fayt made all of his trials worthwhile, and Luther decided since he had accomplished his trick, it was time for a treat. With their lips touching in an intimate caress, he led his lover towards their stairs and their bedroom. Sooner or later, Luther would inquire about the custom of carving pumpkins and lighting candles within the hollowed out gourds, but, for now, he would settle for a kiss and some time alone with his partner. The small things were mattered most, after all.

Author's Note: One of a few Halloween pieces forthcoming from me. Hope you've enjoyed!


End file.
